THIS IS TREASURE IN LOMBOK, RINJANI MOUNT

Mount Rinjani in Lombok, being the second highest volcano in Indonesia after Mount Kerinci in Sumatra, is one of the most popular trekking in Indonesia. This is because it offers amazing adventurous hike that promises breathtaking view at the peak. It is also partly because of its good location in Lombok which is many independent travelers’ favourite.

Standing at 3,726 m, Mount Rinjani is one of the most active volcano in Indonesia, similarly toMount Bromo in Java. It bears a caldera of 50 km square that holds a crater lake called Segara Anak (Child of Sea), which has a natural hot spring.

Mount Rinjani had been proposed by the government to UNESCO to be one of the world’s first official geoparks if approved. To be awe in nature’s best combination of beauty and danger, an active volcano that can be so foreboding and desolate yet so beautiful. The demanding trek that requires two days to conquer the mountain will make it all worthwhile when greeted by the view at the summit. Weather at Mount Rinjani is like the rest of Indonesia, divided into two seasons of dry and wet season and the temperatures are quite even.

Part of the famous ‘ring of fire’ this mountain also holds spiritual significance for the local people. It’s thought that the name Rinjani comes from an old Javanese term for ‘God’.

Around the slopes of Rinjani there are lush forests sprinkled with waterfalls and surrounded by stunning scenery.

Within the mountain is a crescent shaped lake, the breathtaking Segara Anak which is about 6km across at its widest point. This lake of sulfur is located 600 meters below the crater rim. Rising from the waters of this lake is a new volcano, Mt. Baru, which is a result of a series of eruptions during the 1990’s. Segara Anak is a spiritual place. The Balinese come here each year and perform a ceremony called pekelan where jewelry is placed in the lake as an offering to the mountain spirit. The Wetu Telu people also regard the lake as holy and come here to pray on full moon nights.

Mt Rinjani lies within the Gunung Rinjani National Park. The park covers 41,330 hectares and sits inside a major bio-geographical transition zone (Wallacea). This is where the tropical flora and fauna of South East Asia meets that of Australasia. This National Park was established in 1997 and is one of over 40 throughout Indonesia.

For visitors, the three-day Rinjani trek route from Senaru to the crater rim, down to the Crater Lake then on to Sembalun Lawang, is considered one of the best treks in South East Asia. More adventurous trekkers may want to head all the way to the summit of the volcano. This is best reached from Sembalun Lawang and takes four days, finishing up in Senaru.

To ensure that local communities benefit from tourism revenue, the Rinjani Trek is managed by a partnership of National Park officials, the public and private sectors of the Lombok tourism industry and community representatives. Community run cooperatives coordinate the Trek at the Rinjani Trek Center (RTC) in Senaru and the Rinjani Information Center (RIC) in Sembalun Lawang.

Revenue from tourism activities and entry fees is used for conservation, management and assisting the National Park with maintenance of the Rinjani Trek, thus ensuring its sustainability. This management model is unique in Indonesia and considered an example of best practice of ecotourism in Indonesia.

So When The Best Time To Come ???

Best time to go is May – November during the dry season where there is less rain but more tourists. This is also the safest time to do trekking. Time to avoid going is January – March when the park is normally closed due to heavy rain. At other times, it is possible to trek Mt Rinjani mostly due to the tropical climate but please do not attempt to climb Mount Rinjani during lots of rain time because the path may be treacherous. Always check out for local weather before attempting the trek. Also try to avoid weekends if you do not want the crowd.

Another that, some interesting destination arount rinjani are :

·         Segara Anak Lake, the vast crater lake with a new cone forming in it, called Gunung Baru

·        Mulang Pakelem – the annual Hindu ceremony at the crater lake, dated back to 18th century when the Balinese invaded Lombok. You will get to see hundreds of white clad Hindu pilgrims sitting and praying at the lake.

·     During Rice-Planting Season, the people here would have ceremonies on Mt Rinjani and Segara Anak lake where they would release small artificial fish made of very thin gold into the lake.